No BT broadband but they still charge

In June 2007, a technical fault left us without internet connection for over a month - but BT still charged me.

I was offered three months free IT support, which I was then charged for. My e-mailed complaints did not receive any response.

In August, first my landline and then the internet service were disconnected without warning. I received a final bill for £389.80, including default charges. A letter from debt collector Westcot Credit Services demanding £487.25 followed. BT then wrote saying it was refunding the broadband costs for three months and had notifed Westcot.

In November, Westcot returned my case to BT. But a month later, Credit Solutions, another debt collector, demanded £487.25 by the end of the year, threatening a home visit if I did not pay up.

Margaret Stone, This is Money's money doctor, replied: When I got in touch with BT, it took the debt back from the debt collection agency.

So far, so good. But what happened next bore more than a passing resemblance to the shambles you experienced.

BT said that, following my intervention, it had been trying to get in touch with you and that you were not responding to its e-mails.

You were quite clear that you had not received e-mails from BT during this period and queried whether, in fact, BT had the correct e-mail address - given that it had closed your phone and internet account.

When I relayed this to BT, I was assured that, yes, its customer relations team had used your current e-mail address.

'Just what was going on?' I asked. At this stage, events took a substantial turn for the better. Your complaint was forwarded to the assistant to the chief executive of BT - and, a week later, it was decided that as a goodwill gesture, the entire amount of £487.25 would be written off.